Gujarat's curious animal surnames
The aviation world has been buzzing with the story of Smit Machchhar, a Mumbai-born pilot of Gujarati origin, who skillfully navigated a flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv during a violent cockpit incident. Despite initial skepticism over his surname, Machchhar, which translates to "mosquito" in Hindi, has become a global hero after safely landing the aircraft in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
The incident has sparked curiosity about the prevalence of animal and insect surnames among Gujarati communities, particularly in the Nagar Brahmins, Brahmkshatriyas, and Lohanas. Among these unique surnames are Ghoda (horse), Mankad (bed bug), Mankodi (large ant), Popat (parakeet), Vinchhi (scorpion), Shiyal (jackal), Tetar (pheasant), Hathi (elephant), Bhoot (ghost), and Jogi (ascetic).
These surnames are often seen as totems, representing the admired traits of the associated animals or insects. The concentration of such surnames in Saurashtra is believed to be a result of strong community ties rather than broader caste associations.
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